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lathyrism

Syllabification: (lath·y·rism)
Pronunciation: /ˈlaTHəˌrizəm/

Definition of lathyrism

noun

  • a tropical disease marked by tremors, muscular weakness, and paraplegia, especially prevalent in South Asia. It is commonly attributed to continued consumption of the seeds of the grass pea.

Origin:

late 19th century: from modern Latin Lathyrus (genus name of various leguminous plants) + -ism

lathyrism in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of lathyrism in the British & World English dictionary